Combined ladder and scaffold



Feb. 25, 1941. l. N, wlcK 2,233,333

COMBINED LADDER AND SCAFFOLD Filed Feb.y 15, 1940 2 Shcaeizs--Sheezl 1 Feb. 25, 1941'. N. wlcK` COMBINED LADDER AND SCAFFOLD Fuga Feb. 15', 1940 2 sheets-Sheena wwe Patented Feb. 25, 1 941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

My invention is an improved construction of combined ladder and scaffold of that particular type in which the parts include a pair of ground wheels and are adapted to be folded one upon another for convenience in moving the apparatus from place to place.

The principal object of my invention is to provide an apparatus of this general character which will be especially useful in gathering fruit, whereby in picking fruit from the top of a tree the parts can be arranged to support the ladder in a substantially upright position, and in picking fruit from the body of the tree the ladder can be readily swung to a horizontal position an-d braced to form a scaffold or raised platform on which the fruit gatherer may stand and on which baskets or other containers for the fruit may be placed.

A further object of my invention is to provide a knockdown ladder and scaffold supported in connection with a hand truck to not only facilitate transporting it from one place to another in knock-down conditi-on but also facilitate movement of the apparatus around the tree Whether arranged in the form :of a ladder or scaffold.

With these principal objects in view my invention contemplates a construction in which the body of the hand truck constitutes one of the essential elements in supporting the ladder in either upright or horizontal position, in association with additional braces for the ladder or platform, the several parts being so connected that they may be folded together for transportation in the same manner as a wheeled hand truck.

My invention therefore contemplates combining a ladder with the framework of a hand truck in combination with bracing elements cooperating to support the ladder in either upright or horizontal position, as hereinafter fully described and more specifically set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the apparatus arranged in the form of a ladder disposed and supported in substantial upright position.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view illustrating the parts arranged to form a scaffold.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation showing the parts folded for transportation, and

Fig. 5 is a detail View of one of the pivotal connections.

In carrying out my invention I provide a main supporting frame I0, similar in construction to a wheeled hand truck, with spaced apart side pieces, II, connected by crosspieces and having the ground wheels I2 mounted on an axle I3 5 journaled in bearing boxes I4 secured to the under side of the side pieces at one end thereof, the outer ends of the side pieces being shaped to form hand grips, I5. To near the outer ends of the side pieces of this supporting frame a lad- 10 der IB of usual construction is pivoted by a long bolt Il, and in order to space the projecting ends of the side pieces or hand grips thereof a suflicient distance apart to permit a person to walk between the same in transporting the apparatus from one place to another, filling blocks I8 are interposed between said side pieces of the supporting frame and sides of the ladder. The pivotal connection of the ladder to the wheeled frame is such that when the ladder is in substantially upright position, as shown in Fig. 2, the lower end thereof will rest on the ground with the side pieces of the frame inclined slightly upward from the ground wheels, and for supporting the ladder in this position a back frame or brace I9 extends from the inner end of the main supporting frame to the upper portion of the ladder, said back frame or brace being made up of spaced apart strips pivotally connected at their upper ends to the sides of the ladder from which they diverge and are pivotally connected at their lower ends between the side pieces of the main frame by bolt 20, with crosspieces 2l, 2| connected to the ends of the strips for maintaining their spaced apart relation. Attached to one of these crosspieces are outwardly projecting blocks 22, 22 disposed at an angle to the back frame and adapted to support the ladder and back frame on the wheel supporting frame in the manner hereinafter described. To provide for folding the brace when the ladder is lowered on the truck for 4transportation it is made in two sections joined by hinges 23, with crosspieces 24, 24 extending between the strips at opposite sides of the break joint. The connection of the foldable back frame to the main supporting frame is preferably by means of a long bolt similar to the bolt connection of the ladder to said supporting frame, whereby the ladder and associated supporting frame may be readily disconnected from the wheeled truck for use of either the ladder or truck for other purposes, vit being necessary only to remove the two bolts.

The construction so far described provides simple and effective means for supporting the ladder in upright position in those situations Where it is inconvenient or impossible to support the upper end of the ladder against the trunk of a tree,

wall, or other object, and by connecting the parts wardly projecting portion of the ladder will be a suiiicient distance above the ground when the forward end of the truck is raised in wheeling it from place to place.

For supporting the ladder in a horizontal position so that the aparatus may be used as a scaffold fo-r any purpose, as for instance in harvesting a crop from fruit trees, the ladder is provided at each end with a pair of props 25 and 26', more especially to prevent sidewise movement of the platform, it being apparent that the main frame and bracing frame which extend from the axle of the supporting wheels will be constructed of material of sufficient stability to support the platform in horizontal position. The props are all connected to the ladder so that they may be' swung rearwardly and laterally, and for this purpose ,the metal fixture illustrated in Fig. 5 is employed., consisting of an attaching plate 2l having a lateral member 28 to which is swiveled a U-shaped connection 29 to which the prop is pivoted.

From the foregoing description of the construction and operation of the combined ladder and scaifold in accordance with my invention it will beapparent that when the parts are arranged 'i with the ladder in upright position the lower end thereof will be supported against movement in any direction by the main frame having the ground wheels spaced apart to a greater extent than the side pieces of the ladder and the upright position maintained by the back frame. In this position the ladder may be used for Various purposes, and in converting the apparatus to a scaffold it is only necessary to swing the ladder to a horizontal position when the main frame y and back frame will extend from the axle of the wheels at opposite inclinations therefrom, and by positioning the props at both ends of the ladder at an outward inclination from the ladder or platform they will steady the scaffold tothereby provide a structure having the required stability for various uses for which an apparatus of vthis character is desired.

In arranging the parts for transportation the props 25 at the outer ends of the ladder or platform are brought on a line with the side pieces thereof and held in place by any suitable means, as for instance by hooks, and as the ladder or platform is lowered the jointed back frame is folded so that said frame and the ladder will rest on the blocks 22 and crosspieces 2 I, the props 2lik being then supported by hooks 30 depending from one of the last mentioned crosspieces. The several parts of the apparatus are then arranged in `compact form on the wheeled frame for Inoving the apparatus from place to place.

1. A combined ladder and scaffold adapted to be knocked down or folded for convenience in transportation, lcomprising a main supporting frame having connected side pieces supported at one end by ground wheels from which they converge toward their outer ends, a ladder pivoted to the main frame near the outer ends of the side pieces from which the later project in the form main frame, and props swiveled to each end of the l ladder at opposite sides thereof for use in bracing the ladder when arranged to form thev platform of the scaffold.

2. A comb-ined ladder and scaffold adapted to- Y be knocked down or folded for convenience in transportation, comprising a main supporting frame having connected side pieces supported at one end by ground wheels from which they converge toward their outer ends, a ladder pivoted to the main frame near the outer ends of theside pieces from which the latter project in the form of hand grips, a long bolt forming .the pivotal connection between the ladder and main frame, a jointed back frame for supporting the ladder in substantially upright position and consisting of sections hinged together and connected at `opposite ends to the ladder and Amain frame, the pivotal connection with the main frame being by means of a long bolt extending through the side pieces of the main frame and 'jointed frame, propsswiveled to each end of the ladder at oppositesides thereof for use in'bracing the ladder when arranged to form the platform of the scaifold,

and hooks attached to the main frame and ladder- 

